Sep 21 TSRn: Spielberg talks Lincoln, Tintin and 3D

The Scorecard Review news

News: After years of talking about it, Steven Spielberg’s Abraham Lincoln film is finally gearing up to shoot. Spielberg discussed Lincoln, The Adventures of Tintin, 3D and more with the Orlando Sentinel’s Roger Moore.

Thoughts by TSR: Steven Spielberg has made a few of my favorite films. Thanks to that, I’m really looking forward to his one-two punch of War Horse and The Adventures of Tintin this winter. Beyond that, one project that he’s been talking about for years is a film about President Abraham Lincoln starring Liam Neeson. Unfortunately, Neeson dropped out. The good news is Spielberg replaced him with one of our finest actors, Daniel Day-Lewis.

One of my big questions regarding the film was what parts of Lincoln’s life it would deal with. Spielberg told Roger Moore, “We’re basing it on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, ‘Team of Rivals,’ but we’re only focusing in on the last four months of Abraham Lincoln’s life.” That makes me happy, since I feel a lot of biopics try to do too much when they attempt to show the person's entire life. Lincoln will shoot in Richmond, Virginia. Spielberg said he chose this location because “a lot of the buildings there, government buildings, look like Washington looked back during the Civil War.”

Spielberg also made it clear Lincoln is “not a battlefield movie,” but did say we’d see a little of that. “There are battles in it, and being in Virginia, we have access to those historic battlefields.” The last tidbit offered up about Lincoln was about its possible effect on next year’s Presidential election. To that Spielberg said, “The movie will be purposely coming out after next year’s election. I didn’t want it to become political fodder.” With the election in November, it seems likely that the film will see a December 2012 release. Mr. Spielberg may not want his film to leave its mark on the election, but I have a hard time imagining a scenario where it doesn’t have an impact on next year’s Oscar race. With the great story and talent involved – Spielberg, Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and many more – this is definitely a film to keep an eye on.

Lincoln wasn’t the only thing Spielberg touched on. He also talked about the purported “death of 3D.” Spielberg isn't buying that. He said, "It’s just waiting for the right film to come along that will make an audience want to see it in 3D and not pay the lesser ticket price to see it in 2D.” I actually am a little intrigued to see The Adventures of Tintin in 3D, so he may be onto something there. Finally, Spielberg mentioned that he will be producing an adaptation of the children’s books “The 39 Clues.” Brett Ratner will be directing and Spielberg hopes filming will begin next year.